Modular step system for pools
A modular step system for in-ground swimming comprising a bottom central hub, a brace assembly, a top central hub, a tread support assembly, a step form and a liner. The components of the modular step system interlock and snap together without fasteners. Also, the components of the modular step system are obtained by molding plastic material or curing of a curable material. The modular step system is installed on a level concrete floor of a swimming pool and designed to be rigidly fixed from behind to adjacent pool walls. The modular step system is adaptable to a pool having a vinyl liner, structurally sound regardless of size, easy to assemble, consistent in size, and cost-effective.
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This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/629,542, filed Nov. 19, 2004.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention generally relates to interior steps in swimming pools, and in particular, to a modular step system for in-ground swimming pools.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONPresently, it is relatively common to use various types of interior steps or stairs in a swimming pool for swimmers to gain access to and exit the swimming pool. A well recognized style of interior steps is known as a “wedding cake” step form. In certain types of swimming pools, such as ones constructed of concrete or gunite, permanent interior steps are often built on site by constructing a step form. The step form is filled with concrete, and when the concrete has set and dried, the step form is removed. The cost of manufacturing concrete steps is expensive and labor intensive, requiring highly skilled workers for construction. However, a concrete step is advantageous for concrete or gunite type pools and when there is a need for variations in the step shape or size.
However, a problem is presented when concrete steps are used for vinyl liner type swimming pools. With these types of pools, it is difficult to accurately measure and build a conforming liner to cover the concrete steps due to the variability and the unique shapes and sizes of poured concrete steps.
As an alternative to poured concrete steps, one-piece molded plastic steps have been designed and used. However, one-piece molded plastic step designs have minimal structure to support the weight of swimmers and water pressure forces. As a result, one-piece molded plastic steps have size limitations and do not perform well when covered with a vinyl liner.
Therefore, for the reasons stated above, there is currently a need for a plastic step system that is adaptable to a pool having a vinyl liner, structurally sound regardless of size, easy to assemble, consistent in size, and cost-effective; such as that provided by the present invention described herein.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a modular step system that overcomes the shortcomings of prior art systems.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a modular step system that may be used with new or existing pools.
It is further object of the present invention to provide a modular step system that may be used with a pool having a vinyl liner.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a modular step system which is not labor intensive, not expensive and does not require a skilled workman to assemble.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a modular step system that permits steps to be consistently molded and easily fabricated.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a modular step system that has adequate structure, strength and may support the weight of swimmers and water pressure forces.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a modular step system that may be used with steps having variability in sizes and shapes such as for pools with flat, corner, or curved walls.
In accordance with the above objectives, the present invention provides a modular step system for in-ground swimming pools including a bottom central hub, a brace assembly, a top central hub, a tread support assembly, a step form and a liner. The components of the modular step system interlock and snap together without fasteners. The modular step system is installed on a level concrete floor of a swimming pool and designed to be rigidly fixed from behind to adjacent pool walls. Typically, the modular step system comprises a bottom step closest to the floor of the swimming pool, a top step closest to a surface of water at a top of the swimming pool and a middle step located between the bottom step and the top step.
During assembly of the modular step system, the bottom central hub is placed at an intersection of the level concrete floor and a pool wall of the pool, at a desired center point of where the modular step system will be installed. The bottom central hub includes a plurality of hub notches facing up for securely fastening the brace assembly described herein.
The brace assembly comprises a plurality of braces which are vertical support members inserted into the bottom central hub. Each brace includes a bottom brace notch, a bottom groove, a middle groove and a top groove. Each brace also includes tabs for engaging the bottom central hub and the top central hub. The plurality of braces are inserted into the bottom central hub so that each hub notch engages a brace. The brace assembly provides sufficient support to the modular step system and eliminates the need for building forms and ordering and pouring concrete.
After the plurality of braces have been inserted into the bottom central hub, the top central hub is placed at a top central point of the plurality of braces. The tabs of the plurality of braces are inserted into the plurality of hub notches of the top central hub to create a rigid structure to support the step form. The top central hub stabilizes and aligns the brace assembly and serves to transmit forces carried by the brace assembly into the adjacent pool wall.
A plurality of toe braces are thereafter inserted into the bottom brace notch and engage the plurality of braces. The toe brace is a horizontal support brace which is located at the base of the modular step system near the bottom step.
The tread support assembly comprises horizontal rigid members mounted to the brace assembly to secure the brace assembly into its vertical position. The tread support assembly includes a bottom tread, a middle tread and a top tread and forms the bottom step, middle step and top step, respectively. The bottom tread is securely engaged to the bottom groove via openings which mate with posts, respectively, on the bottom groove of the tread. Similarly, the middle tread is engaged to the middle groove and the top tread is engaged to the top groove in the same manner. The tread support assembly carries the downward vertical forces of water in the swimming pool and of a swimmer on the modular step system, thereby transferring the forces to the brace assembly and onto the floor of the swimming pool.
The step form is placed over the structure comprising the bottom central hub, the brace assembly, the top central hub, the tread support assembly, and the toe brace. The step form is preferably made of a molded plastic material or curing of a curable material and produced from a fixed mold. The step form is molded with a textured pattern in the tread assembly area (i.e. on the steps) creating a non-slipping surface to reduce slipping on the modular step system.
The step form must be fully seated against the pool wall, the concrete floor, and have a close fit with the brace assembly and the tread support assembly. The step form may be covered with the liner preferably made of vinyl. The liner is fabricated and placed over the step form in conformance with the appearance of the vinyl liner in the swimming pool. The textured pattern of the step form engages and presses through the liner so that the liner also includes a textured pattern, thereby reducing the slippery surface of the smooth vinyl when it is covered by water and stepped on by a swimmer. By creating the step form from a fixed mold, the liner consistently fits the structure, without the need for adjusting and re-measuring the step.
The modular step system may also be designed to be placed in a 90-degree pool corner and a pool wall having a concave curve. The modular step system and the pool corner or concave pool wall have conforming shapes and curves. The components of the modular step system are obtained by molding plastic material or curing of a curable material.
A more complete appreciation of the present invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily understood by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The invention will now be described with reference to
Referring now to
During assembly of the modular step system 10, as shown in
Referring now to the brace assembly 14 shown in
Referring to
A plurality of toe braces 58, shown in
Referring to
Referring to
The step form 20 must be fully seated against the pool wall, the concrete floor, and have a close fit with the brace assembly 14 and the tread support assembly. Preferably, the brace assembly 14 may stand away from the wall a small distance (i.e. approximately ¼) allowing for the step form 20 to be retained behind edges of the brace assembly. The close fit ensures that the forces from the water pressure and the swimmers weight are transferred directly from the step form to the brace assembly and the tread support assembly through points where the components contact each other. As previously described, the force is then transferred to the pool wall and concrete floor.
As shown in
During installation of the modular step system 10, it is understood that a leveling grout or mortar may be used if there are variations in the floor level of the swimming pool. Furthermore, it may be preferable to grind one or more of the interior braces legs or the bottom center hub to better conform to small irregularities of the floor. However, it is understood that the outer braces should not be shortened as shortening will cause the step form to touch the floor instead of rest on the braces resulting in possible warping or collapse of the modular step system.
A second embodiment of the modular step system 74, shown in
As shown in
A third embodiment of the modular step system 84, shown in
As shown in
The components of the modular step system described herein with reference to
Although the modular step system is shown in
Claims
1. A modular step system for in-ground swimming pools comprising:
- a bottom central hub;
- a brace assembly, comprising a plurality of braces mounted to said bottom central hub, said braces structured and arranged to form at least one step;
- a top central hub, secured to a top central point of said plurality of braces;
- a tread support assembly, comprising at least one horizontal rigid member mounted to said brace assembly at each of said at least one step;
- a step form placed over said components; and
- a liner placed over said step form.
2. The modular step system of claim 1 wherein said modular step system is rigidly affixed from behind to a pool wall.
3. The modular step system of claim 1, wherein said components interlock and snap together without fasteners.
4. The modular step system of claim 1, wherein said bottom central hub is placed at an intersection of a pool wall and a pool floor at a desired center point of where said modular step system will be installed.
5. The modular step system of claim 1, wherein said bottom central hub is shaped like a half circle having a straight side.
6. The modular step system of claim 1, wherein said bottom central hub further comprising a plurality of hub notches structured and arranged to securely fasten said brace assembly.
7. The modular step system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of braces are vertical support members.
8. The modular step system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of braces further comprise a plurality of tabs structured and arranged to engage said bottom central hub and said top central hub.
9. The modular step system of claim 1 further comprising at least one toe brace mounted to said brace assembly at the base of said modular step system.
10. The modular step system of claim 1, wherein said brace assembly further comprising a plurality of grooves and said tread support assembly further comprising a plurality of posts, and wherein said posts are structured and arranged to engage said posts.
11. The modular step system of claim 1, wherein said step form is made of a molded plastic material.
12. The modular step system of claim 1, wherein said step form is made by curing a curable material.
13. The modular step system of claim 1, wherein said step form is produced from a fixed mold.
14. The modular step system of claim 1, wherein said step form is molded with a textured pattern to reduce slipping.
15. The modular step system of claim 1, wherein said liner is made of vinyl.
16. The modular step system of claim 1, wherein said liner is sufficiently thick so as to prevent puncture and leakage of water into said modular step system.
17. A modular step system for a pool corner, comprising:
- a bottom corner hub
- a brace assembly, comprising a plurality of braces mounted to said bottom corner hub, said braces structured and arranged to form at least one step;
- a top corner hub, secured to a top central point of said plurality of braces;
- a tread support assembly, comprising at least one horizontal rigid member mounted to said brace assembly at each of said at least one step;
- a corner step form placed over said components; and
- a liner placed over said step form.
18. The modular step system of claim 17, wherein said bottom corner hub has a 90-degree corner.
19. A modular step system for a pool wall having a concave curve, comprising:
- a bottom convex hub;
- a brace assembly, comprising a plurality of braces mounted to said bottom convex hub, said braces structured and arranged to form at least one step;
- a top convex hub, secured to a top central point of said plurality of braces;
- a tread support assembly, comprising at least one horizontal rigid member mounted to said brace assembly at each of said at least one step;
- a step form placed over said components; and
- a liner placed over said step form.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Nov 18, 2005
Date of Patent: Dec 19, 2006
Patent Publication Number: 20060117681
Assignee: Latham Plastics, Inc. (Scotia, NY)
Inventors: Charles R. Elder (Averill Park, NY), Thomas E. Lucas (Clifton Park, NY), Peter G. Moran, Sr. (Saratoga Springs, NY), Donald Nicoll (Clifton Park, NY)
Primary Examiner: Naoko Slack
Assistant Examiner: Yvonne M. Horton
Attorney: Wolf Block Schorr & Solis-Cohen LLP
Application Number: 11/282,807
International Classification: E04F 11/00 (20060101);